Three found guilty of murdering Catholic priest

Business

By Peter Mutai

Three suspects charged with robbery with violence and the subsequent killing of a Catholic priest in Kericho town two years ago were Wednesday found guilty by a Kericho court and sentenced to death.

The three gangsters were among 13 suspects charged before court with violent robbery and hacking to death of Father Jeremiah Roche

Gerard of Keongo Parish when they raided his residence on the night of December 10-11, 2009.

Two other suspects escaped the hangman’s noose but they were not so lucky after former Kericho Chief Magistrate and now High Court Judge Hedwig Ong’undi sentenced them to 14 years behind bars and hard labour for handling stolen property.

In a 75-page judgment read in court by Kericho Principal Magistrate Jacinta Kwena, on behalf of Judge Ong’undi four other suspects were acquitted for lack of evidence under section 215 of the

Civil Procedure Code.

In her judgement, Ong’undi said the prosecution led by senior principal state counsel Bernard Kiviya proved to court that Bett, Koskei and Makori were among the suspects who robbed and killed Father  Roche on the material date.

The priest who was from Kiltegan Fathers of St Patrick Society of Ireland had served the Catholic Church in the country for 41 years and was instrumental in initiation and implementation of various development projects in the parish.

The four had been charged jointly with others that on the night of 10th and 11th December 2009 at Keongo Catholic church in Kericho diocese jointly while armed with dangerous weapons robbed Father Roche of a computer, laptop (Toshiba), two mobile phones, a digital camera, one CD player and DSTV remote controller all valued at Sh 180,000 and used actual violence thereby killing the priest.

Those acquitted of the offence included Makori Ondieki, Millicent Robi, Pancras Mochache Nyabeta and Mike Helton Ochako.

Business
Premium Burdened Kenyans walk into Easter weekend broke
Business
Premium Looming crisis as top lenders stare at Sh500b in bad loans
Business
Premium Water PS Korir put on the spot over Sh14m dam land
Business
Premium Ruto's food security hopes facing storm amid fake fertiliser scam